Method for producing rotor discs

Abstract

The production of rotor discs by bonding a plurality of fully dense, preformed blades to a hub of compacted alloy powder. The blades are embedded in the uncompacted powder and by the use of hot isostatic compacting the powder is compacted to full density to form the hub and the blades are bonded thereto simultaneously.

I claim: 
     
       1. A method for producing an article having at least one preformed alloy projection metallurgically bonded to a base of compacted alloy powder, said method comprising confining alloy powder in a cavity of a mold of nondeformable material, said mold cavity conforming to the desired configuration of said base of said alloy article, embedding a portion of said projection in said alloy powder within said mold cavity, sealing said mold cavity and said alloy powder confined therein against the atmosphere by enclosing the same in a collapsible container, heating said alloy powder, container and mold to an elevated temperature and compacting said alloy powder while at elevated temperature by the application of fluid pressure  to compact the same to substantially full density and to metallurgically bond said preformed projection to said base of compacted alloy powder. 
     
     
       2. The method of claim 1 wherein said mold cavity is evacuated prior to compacting. 
     
     
       3. A method for producing a composite rotor disc having a hub of compacted alloy powder and a plurality of preformed alloy blades metallurgically bonded thereto, said method comprising confining alloy powder in a cavity of a mold of nondeformable material, said mold cavity having a first portion thereof conforming to the desired configuration of said hub and a second generally annular portion in communication with and surrounding said first portion, a plurality of preformed alloy blades positioned in spaced-apart relation with said second annular portion with a portion of each said blade being embedded in said alloy powder, sealing said mold cavity and said alloy powder confined therein against the atmosphere by enclosing the same in a collapsible container, heating said alloy powder, container and mold to an elevated temperature and compacting said alloy powder while at elevated temperature by the application of fluid pressure to compact the same to substantially full density to form said hub and to metallurgically bond said blades thereto. 
     
     
       4. The method of claim 3 wherein spacers of nondeformable material are positioned within said second annular portion of said mold cavity to maintain said blades in selected spaced-apart relation during said compacting and are removed thereafter to expose said blades. 
     
     
       5. The method of claim 3 wherein said compacting is performed with said alloy powder at a temperature within the range of 1500° to 2400°F and by the application of fluid pressure within the range of 300 to 60,000 psi. 
     
     
       6. The method of claim 3 wherein said alloy powder and said preformed alloy blades are of substantially the same alloy composition. 
     
     
       7. The method of claim 3 wherein said alloy of both said alloy powder and said preformed alloy blades is an alloy selected from the group consisting of superalloys and titanium-base alloys.